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Brazil and Peru will meet at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on Saturday, with Group A of the 2019 Copa America coming to a tense close.

The tournament hosts are joint-leaders of Group A alongside Peru and should finish top if they secure a draw or better, due to the fact they’re one better off in goal difference.

But third-placed Venezuela are lurking and could still finish top of the pool if they beat Bolivia in Belo Horizonte on Saturday.

La Vinotinto have secured two 0-0 draws so far and are two points off the summit, meaning a win of four goals or more would pull them up to first if Brazil had another stalemate. Qualification could even come down to fair play or lots if the pair are tied on goal difference come full time.

Date: Saturday, June 22

Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET

Venu: Arena Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Live Stream: ESPN+ (U.S.), NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.), fuboTV (U.S.) Premier Player (UK)

TV Info: Telemundo (U.S.), Premier Sports (UK)

Odds

Peru: 4-11

Draw: 7-2

Brazil: 17-2

Via Oddschecker.com.

Preview

The absence of injured Neymar hasn’t helped Brazil’s campaign on home soil thus far, although the early signs looked promising after they managed a 3-0 win over Group A whipping boys Bolivia. 

Peru almost replicated that result when they beat La Verde 3-1 on Tuesday, and like Brazil, they too ran out a goalless result against Venezuela to make for an almost identical track record thus far.

But Brazil have formed a habit of disappointing in major competitions over recent years, and sportswriter Sacha Pisani highlighted Peru have previous when it comes to upsetting the Selecao:

It wasn’t for Brazil’s lack of trying that they failed to beat Venezuela on Matchday 2 where they had two goals disallowed, per OptaJavier:

Peru look to again be near their best after conceding once in 180 minutes at the 2019 Copa, and legend Paolo Guerrero reminded their attack can be clinical, via beIN Sports (U.S. only):

The 35-year-old is Peru’s all-time top-scorer with 36 goals and is one example of how experience can lend itself well to tournaments such as this:

Philippe Coutinho netted two goals for Brazil in their hammering of Bolivia but failed to take the same grip on their draw with Venezuela, and the same could be said for most in Tite’s camp.

Venezuela don’t look likely to stack up the kind of goal surplus needed to take them above their peers if all goes to plan, but Brazil still need to be wary of the potential pitfalls approaching a tough test from Peru.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

As the New York Knicks meandered through a deflating 17-win season—their second such horror show in five years—there was finally reason for optimism. Remember when the Knicks thought they could be getting Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, all in the span of a few weeks?

Remember?

All these years of ineptitude and dysfunction, not to mention a run of only six playoff appearances since the turn of the century, were finally about to pay off.

Except some not-so-funny things happened on the way to the draft lottery and all the wining and dining of shiny free agents. The Knicks, who had the NBA‘s worst record, wound up with the third pick. Then, their top free-agent target, Durant, ruptured his Achilles in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, likely putting him out for the entire 2019-20 season and turning his impending free agency upside down.

Anthony Davis, another pie-in-the-sky option for the team that so ineffectually occupies the World’s Most Famous Arena, was reportedly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks had struck out again.

Howard Simmons/Associated Press

And so when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, as widely expected, announced that the Knicks were selecting Duke’s RJ Barrett with the third pick Thursday night, it was easy to view it as another gut-punch for a franchise that just can’t get out of its own way.

“RJ is the biggest star they are getting this summer,” one prominent agent told Bleacher Report. “Assuming he is a star.”

Ouch.

The Knicks took a big swing at the summer of 2019, and there’s a real possibility they’ll miss by a mile. But before we dissect where it all went wrong, let’s not blame this on Barrett, who could very well be the most complete, NBA-ready player in this draft, according to one Eastern Conference personnel man.

Plus, unlike wave after wave of free agents, Barrett actually wants to be a Knick. Those who know him well say he not only has the talent for it but also the temperament.

What he evidently won’t have is a perennial All-Star teammate or two as the Knicks originally planned (albeit for another Dukie named Zion).

During two decades of mostly unbearable basketball, the Knicks willingly endured perhaps their most unbearable season yet—and could wind up with very little to show for it. Not only did they tank for Zion and clear cap room for Durant, but they also traded their best player, Kristaps Porzingis, to clear room for a second max slot.

One that they may not even use.

Kawhi Leonard seems bound for the Clippers, if he can resist what will be a massive push from the Raptors to have him stay and etch his name among the immortals by winning a second straight championship. Klay Thompson is all about the West Coast, and as long as the Warriors pony up the max despite his torn ACL, hardly anyone in rival front offices envisions him leaving the Bay Area.

Ben Margot/Associated Press

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday night on the draft broadcast that the Nets, Knicks, Warriors and Clippers are still “significant considerations” for Durant, whose decision nonetheless has to be recalibrated in the wake of an injury that will land him on the sideline next season.

Kyrie Irving? A person who knows him reiterated to B/R what rival front offices have believed for a while: He’s most likely Brooklyn-bound. Irving and other top free agents hardly view Brooklyn as some NBA outpost just because the Barclays Center court isn’t located between 7th and 8th Avenues in Manhattan.

“They see stability and an organization with a plan,” a Western Conference executive said. “Plus, you get New York without all the bulls–t.”

The last thing I want to do is tell long-suffering Knicks fans, who haven’t seen a Finals appearance since 1999 or a championship in 46 years, to be patient. But somehow, this is a franchise that has to find a way to pivot from the best-laid plans.

I guess the most polite way to put it is: They’re going to have to be realistic.

Which is what the Knicks front office led by Steve Mills and Scott Perry should do…and, indeed, what the team will do if it strikes out on its prime free-agent targets, a person familiar with the New York’s plans told B/R.

“This front office won’t overpay for guys like Tobias Harris,” the person said. “Which is finally a good approach that they are taking.”

The initial plan may have been fatally flawed. Name a team that bottomed out with 17 wins, tanked itself inside out and landed an MVP-caliber star in free agency as a result. If the Knicks somehow pull it off with Durant, it will be an aberration.

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Short of that, filling one of those max slots with, say, Jimmy Butler, would just be another desperate attempt at a consolation prize. After they struck out with LeBron James in 2010, the Knicks filled the void with Amar’e Stoudemire and then traded practically their entire team for Carmelo Anthony in February 2011. Things were fun for a while, but we can all agree that this Plan B ended badly.

The better, if less popular, plan would be to celebrate the arrival of Barrett and continue to build organically with Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith Jr., Mitchell Robinson, et al. And while doing so, the correct free-agent pivot for Mills and Perry would be to overpay on a short-term deal for a steady veteran (think Danny Green or JJ Redick) who could help improve the culture until the opportunity to acquire a true star comes along.

As Oklahoma City (Paul George) and Toronto (Leonard) have taught us, you can’t force your pursuit of a superstar. You have to build a culture worth joining, accumulate assets and be prepared when the kind of star you covet becomes available.

Mostly, you have to give the star a compelling reason to be a part of something, other than the zip code where he will be receiving his mail. If the Knicks get their latest dose of proof in a few days that the gravitational pull of Madison Square Garden isn’t what it once was, they’ll need a better, and more realistic Plan B.      

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Oregon Ducks center Bol Bol was selected No. 44 overall by the Miami Heat during the second round of Thursday’s NBA draft.  

According to ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Denver Nuggets acquired Bol’s draft rights. Here’s a look how he fits onto Denver’s roster:

Nuggets Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Bol Bol, C: N/A

Gary Harris, SG: $21M (2022)

Jamal Murray, PG: $3.6M (2020)

Jarred Vanderbilt, PF: $1.3M (2021)

Juan Hernangomez, PF: $2.4M (2020)

Malik Beasley, SG: $2M (2020)

Mason Plumlee, C: $13.7M (2020)

Michael Porter Jr., PF: $3.1M (2022)

Monte Morris, PG: $1.5M (2021)

Nikola Jokic, C: $29.5M (2023)

Paul Millsap, PF: $30.5M (2020)

Thomas Welsh, C: $77K (2020)

Torrey Craig, SF: $2.1M (2020)

Will Barton, SG: $13.3M (2022)

Free Agents

Brandon Goodwin, PG: RFA

Isaiah Thomas, PG: UFA

Paul Millsap, PF: Team

Trey Lyles, PF: RFA

Tyler Lydon, PF: UFA

The 19-year-old spent one season at Oregon, averaging an impressive 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks across nine games while shooting 56.1 percent from the field, 52 percent from three and 75.7 percent from the charity stripe. Those shooting numbers are all the more impressive considering he stands at 7’2½” and weighs 208 pounds.

However, his season was cut short in January after he suffered a non-displaced fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot. That left his stock heading into the NBA draft all over the map.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic called him “one of the best shooters in this entire class from distance” in May, noting that before the draft Bol held “the widest potential draft ranges out of anyone,” in large part because of his medical status.

B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman, meanwhile, noted Bol was impressive given his “7’2″ size, ball-handling, specialty shot-making and effortless shooting stroke,” though he added the center “had issues with defensive effort and awareness.”

Defense will be a major factor in whether Bol becomes a starter at the NBA level and potentially a star or more of a role player. His perimeter shooting fits the modern NBA perfectly, as more and more teams stick their centers behind the three-point line for spacing, but offensive-minded centers who are defensive liabilities and can’t protect the rim are generally relegated to backup roles.

If Bol develops defensively and adds more strength and bulk to his frame, he could be the steal of this draft; if he doesn’t, his NBA future is likely one spent coming off the bench.

With Nikola Jokic in the Mile High City, the Nuggets won’t need Bol to play a starring role right away. That will allow him to work on his game without getting thrust into the spotlight before he’s ready.

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

The Portland Trail Blazers took a flier on potential Thursday and selected North Carolina’s Nassir Little with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. 

Here’s a look at how Little fits on Portland’s roster.

Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Little. 

Blazers’ Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Anfernee Simons, SG: $2M (2022)

CJ McCollum, SG: $26.7M (2021)

Damian Lillard, PG: $28M (2021)

Evan Turner, SF: $17.5M (2020)

Gary Trent Jr., SG: $1.3M (2021)

Jusuf Nurkic, C: $12M (2022)

Maurice Harkless, SF: $10.5M (2020)

Meyers Leonard, C: $10.3M (2020)

Nassir Little, SF: $1.7M (2023)

Skal Labissiere, PF: $1.6M (2020)

Zach Collins, C: $3.6M (2021)

Free Agents

Al-Farouq Aminu, PF: UFA

Enes Kanter, C: UFA

Jake Layman, SF: RFA

Rodney Hood, SG: UFA

Seth Curry, SG: UFA

Little arrived at North Carolina as a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the 2018 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ composite rankings. He was even ahead of Zion Williamson, ranked fifth, and figured to be a no-doubt one-and-done player who used his single collegiate season as a springboard to NBA stardom.

While he still entered the draft after his freshman season, it was a far more inconsistent year than his talent profile suggested.

He averaged 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists a night while shooting an ugly 26.9 percent from three-point range. Little still flashed his potential as a 6’6″ combo guard who can light up the scoreboard at times, such as when he scored 20 points in an NCAA tournament win over Washington and 23 points in a high-profile ACC showdown against Virginia Tech.

However, those performances were few and far between, and he didn’t even start a single game for the Tar Heels. That is partially a testament to their depth, but he will be competing with plenty of talent throughout his NBA career as well.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projected Little as a first-round pick in an April mock draft, pointing to the fact he “will look better in workouts than he did at North Carolina” with a “tremendous physical profile.”

However, Wasserman also suggested the teenager is one of the biggest potential busts of the draft because he wasn’t a playmaker in college with low assist numbers, has shooting concerns and possesses a poor feel for the game on the offensive end.

Fortunately for the Trail Blazers, Little is just 19 with the physical profile to develop into an impact playmaker with time to develop. Portland will need to be patient, but there was a reason its newest draft pick was a 5-star prospect. He just may need a few years to reach his ceiling.

Although the Blazers have playoff aspirations in 2020, their wing depth will allow Little to make a gradual adjustment to the next level.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who went second overall in the 2019 NBA draft on Thursday, told reporters that he will not participate in summer-league action.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN wrote on June 1 that Morant was scheduled to have a “minor arthroscopic procedure” on his right knee on June 3. Recovery time was expected to be three to four weeks.

Morant confirmed on Twitter that the surgery was successful.

Summer-league action in Las Vegas, where all 30 teams will be represented, is slated to begin July 5.

Morant told reporters on Wednesday his knee didn’t hurt and that he expected to play in Las Vegas, but plans have since changed.

Although Morant should be 100 percent by July 5 given Wojnarowski’s estimated recovery timeline, there’s no need for the Grizzlies to risk further injury for their new franchise player.

Morant should immediately start at point guard for Memphis, who traded 12-year veteran Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz. With the season beginning in October, Morant has plenty of time to get well before he takes the floor for meaningful games.

The former Murray State star posted 24.5 points on 49.9 percent shooting, 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Racers during his sophomore season. He joins a rebuilding Grizzlies team whose future is based around an exciting core of Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who averaged 13.8 points on 50.6 percent shooting last season after being drafted fourth overall in 2018.